Guilin Zongzi Rice Dumplings

Guilin Zongzi comes in various flavors, with lye water zongzi and streaky pork zongzi being the most common. The uniqueness of lye water zongzi lies in soaking glutinous rice in lye water filtered from plant ash. When wrapping, no fillings are added. After being cooked, the zongzi turns light yellow and has a fragrance of plants. When eating, you can dip it in white sugar or honey. It tastes soft, glutinous, and sweet. For streaky pork zongzi, marinated streaky pork is added to the glutinous rice, and some also include ingredients like chestnuts and mung beans. Wrapped tightly with zongye (reed leaves), after cooking, the fat of the streaky pork seeps into the glutinous rice, giving off a rich aroma. It tastes savory and delicious, and it is a traditional food that Guilin people must eat during the Dragon Boat Festival.